


His Second Chance

by aceofhearts88



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Future Fic, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Post Long Night, honoring old friends, let's just happily ignore that Barristan died on the show because why even, remembering old friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 05:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12788010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceofhearts88/pseuds/aceofhearts88
Summary: It's his little miracle. Another second chance.Jaime and Barristan talk in the garden of the Red Keep as the future slumbers in Jaime's hands.





	His Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> This is literally just something that flickered around my head while I was writing on the new chapter for one of my fics.  
> Enjoy.

He never ever dreamed about experiencing this moment and feeling this storm of emotions crashing over him, the fear, the joy, the pride, the sheer wonder of it. 

Of holding a child of his own in his arms. A child he can openly claim as his, a child he can present to the world as his.

His son.

This little rosy cheeked little bundle was his son and Jaime Lannister felt like the happiest man in the Seven Kingdoms. To give Brienne a bit of rest, he had taken their son out into the garden, to let him feel the warmth of spring that had come again, earlier than anyone had expected, and not a few called it another year of a false spring but Jaime didn't care.

He was too happy to wonder about false hopes for this harsh winter to be truly over for a new summer to arrive, at least for now he left those thoughts to other people. He was too busy spending every single free minute memorizing every inch of his son's face.

He was not Jaime's first, technically he was his fourth, but where other men might find it all routine at the fourth child and some few even might see it as a burden to feet another mouth, Jaime couldn't believe it to be real still. 

With Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen, everything had been different, so very different and false. He had seen them grow up from little babes in arms to pawns in their mother's games, but none of them had ever been Jaime's, with none of them he could have ever had that bond that fathers were meant to have with their children. He had seen their lives from a distance, the Kingsguard Uncle, nothing more.

And all of the had died. Something that beautiful Myrcella and sweet sweet Tommen had not deserved, but Cersei's games had always been more important to her than her own flesh and blood. It was something he still hated her the most for, having used him such, then having kept their children from him with an iron grip and then letting all three of them pay for her sins, for her desires and her need for power.

The more he was so thankful to the gods to grant him this second chance, to be allowed to start all over again in this aspect of his life, after a King and Queen had granted him another chance at life at all. To break out of the chains that Cersei had wrapped around him long before Jaime had ever left Casterly Rock for the first time.

This child would not become a pawn in anyone's games. He would grow up to be happy, to be whatever he wanted to be.

"No father will ever tell you what you need to become. No choice you make will ever disappoint me as long as you are happy, I promise you, my son." Jaime whispered and grinned when those bright blue eyes looked up at him. At just a sennight old, the babe did not do much else but stare, eat and sleep, but it was enough, oh it was so enough to have Jaime entranced into another world.

"It's a great promise." A gentle voice had him look up and then smile as he caught sight of Barristan walking across the grass towards where Jaime had sat himself down on a stone bench in the shadow of a large tree. "But no doubt one made from a good heart." The old man was still sharp, and Jaime had no doubt that come his return to the sparring yard in a fortnight or so, they would have the young ones gaping once more.

Barristan sat down next to him, no shining armor for today, just the white cloak showing the honors of being Lord Commander of a Royal Guard once more.

"I thought you're never gonna show him to the world." His old friend chuckled and Jamie smiled, stroking a finger over a tiny hand that twitched, blue eyes were still on his face, focused only on him.  
"Was just being careful and a little selfish." Jaime admitted, catching Barristan's smile that seemed to understand, "And Brienne thought it bad luck to let a child see the first sunlight without a name." He further explained and laughed gently upon the glimmer in Barristan's eyes, "Aye, we finally decided on one. I talked to Jon and Dany this morning to make it official." Because the Red Keep's Master-at-arms was in tradition supposed to let the reigning King and Queen know about his firstborn's name. "And Brienne wrote a letter for Winterfell."

"She's doing alright?" Barristan wanted to know, polite and well mannered above the burning curiosity that Jaime could see over his son's name.  
"She's well, glad to be able to sleep for a while now, for sure, but she is doing good." Jaime told him, rocking his son a little when little fists swung around.

"So, then. Do not let me beg you for it, my old knees are not what they once were." Barristan pleaded and Jaime laughed, shifting the babe to let Barristan better see him. All rosy pale skin, little puckered nose, those big beautiful eyes of his mother's and that sweet curly tuft of pale blond hair on his head.

"Arthur. We chose to name him Arthur."

Barristan was silent for a moment, but his eyes told Jaime all he needed to know, how much the gesture was accepted and liked.

"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful boy, Jaime." Barristan's voice showed how happy he was for him, it was easy to tell, "He would be proud. Of the gesture, and of you. I am sure that wherever he may be now, he is proud of what you made out of yourself."

Jaime had wanted to be like Arthur Dayne when he had been fifteen and riding out along the Sword of the Morning to face the Kingswood Brotherwood. That moment spent kneeling in the dirt of a battlefield, Dawn on his shoulders, that had been one of the greatest moments of his life and right then, he had sworn to himself to never do anything that would bring shame to that choice Arthur had made for a greenboy.

It had taken a lot of mistakes and even more time to make up for them, but somewhere among fighting the Dead and White Walkers, dragons flying overhead and direwolves ripping through thr ranks, it had felt like he had finally arrived there.

He owed a lot in his life to Arthur Dayne, especially after Aerys had pushed him into the Kingsguard before Jaime really understood what was going on. Even back then, he had known that it was only a political move against his father and not to honor his skills, he had only ever been a pawn, for Aerys, for Tywin and for Cersei.

True loyalty he hadn't known until he had been part of these sworn brotherhood, men he missed terribly until this day. Oswell's crude jokes and his dark humor that could still lighten up every tense situation. Jonothor's quiet strength that he let you pull from when the walls seemed to close in on you. Lewyn's ever raised spirits and quickfire wit that made arguing so much fun. Gerold's strict sharp eyes that saw everything but also his gentle praise.

And Arthur's guidance. His understanding nature, hands squeezing shoulders and words not plenty but coming straight from the heart. In the times before the Rebellion, where Jaime had doubted himself most, Arthur had quickly always reminded them while they were doing what they were doing.

He had been so much more than just a great legendary swordsman, Arthur had been a good friend, too. And a brother, an older brother who was always there to give an encouraging word or two. Jaime owed so much to him, had always looked up to this Knight who was only a few years older than him. Arthur Dayne had truly been a Knight still, one of the last real ones who had breathed and bled their honor.

It was only a small thing to honor him by naming a son after him, to have the hope that his son would grow up with a protecting hand watching over him.

"Do you ever think about them?" He wondered out loud because he sure did, he no longer had his quarters in the White Sword Tower, he no longer was part of the Royal Guard but sometimes he still stood standing in the training's yard and could see them all again. Times long gone by.  
"Of course. Them, Rhaegar, Rhaella, even Willem. Richard and Myles." Barristan named them all, fingers reaching out to push the blanket over Arthur's kicking feet again. "I like to think they are watching over us, rolling their eyes over two old knights reminiscing about the past."

"And seeing the future grow." Jaime added, smiling brightly when Arthur yawned and then smacked his lips together before closing his eyes to fall asleep once more. "We made it, Barristan. Came out on the other side of the world's end, and we might just see another summer again."

"Aye, that is right, lad."

\--

The gods mean well with him. And his family.

And sometimes even reminders of the past do not hurt when it was with happiness that you found them.

"Rhaegar, wait!"

Jaime looked up at the distant sound of his son's voice but couldn't find a blond head anywhere in the throne hall, up on the daise Jon looked up from his papers as well, Tyrion at his side not stopping his conversation with the latest petitioners. 

And then there, a silver haired whirlwind of energy running past his legs, one hand quickly got snatched up to grab the boy's arm, earning himself a grunt from the little Crown Prince before Rhaegar was grinning up at him. Doublet and tunic all rucked up and breeches smudged with dust, he could imagine where the boys had been running around in again.

Crouching down, Jaime raised an eyebrow and counted to three in his head and just as he finished another boy stopped right at the Prince's right shoulder. Panting a little, Arthur looked about as dusty as his one year younger friend. Jaime even got to wipe a smudge of dirt off of his son's nose. Blue and grey eyes stared at him, innocently wide, as if he was ever gonna believe that look.

"What are you two up to? The King is hearing petitions, you can't play in here." He softly admonished the boys and tried to get as much dust off of them as possible with only one usable hand for it. Arthur squirmed around and Rhaegar pulled a face but Jaime showed no mercy until they at least stopped looking like some street urchins, he even got to pull a spider web string from his son's hair.

"We were exploring." Arthur answered finally in reaction to his raised eyebrow, "And we wanted to see how fast we can dodge Ser Erol." Way too fast was Jaime's immediate thought to it, making a mental note to talk to Barristan and Jon later with Dany being gone for Essos for the next moon still, it would not do to have a Kingsguard who could not keep up with a Prince of four namedays and his best friend who was only a year older.

"Well, how about you go exploring where Maester Samwell is because I am sure he is already looking for you to start your lessons." 

Both boys groaned and in the well timed pause of petitioners changing it echoed loudly from the walls, turning eyes on them, especially that of the King. One crooked finger later, Rhaegar and Arthur were scrambling up the steps to the Iron Throne, the Prince being pulled up onto Jon's knee and Arthur grinning through his hair being ruffled.

From across the room Jaime caught Brienne's amused eyes, on either side of her, Princesses Rhaella and Lyanna looked like they might have been searching for their younger brother and his shadow already.

Jon said something to both boys, so quietly that Jaime couldn't hear but then they were running again already, passing by Tyrion waving forward the next Lord before nearly barreling into Barristan. And of course they did, the old knight being their absolute favourite.

Times were well.

And Jaime couldn't be happier.


End file.
